A DISABLED man was shocked to receive a parking fine after taking a relative for an appointment at Coventry's University Hospital.

Wayne Spreckley, aged 54, of The Barley Lea, Stoke Aldermoor, drove his 82-year-old father-in-law Jack Humphries to the hospital at Walsgrave for an appointment.

But despite displaying a disabled parking badge in his Ford Escort, Wayne was issued with a £50 penalty.

Both men are disabled and suffer from prostate cancer. Wayne, a former construction worker who also has multiple sclerosis, said: "I was driving round, trying to find somewhere to park, and I saw this drop-off zone.

"So I parked in there for only about 20 minutes, but when I got back I found a parking ticket on my car.

He said he had walked Jack to his appointment and then returned to the car.

"I was shocked because I knew it was a drop-off zone and thought it would be all right to park there as I was only dropping someone off."

Jack, a retired engineer, of Stoke Aldermoor, who is hard of hearing and partially sighted, was just as surprised about the fine.

He said: "Wayne didn't stay long at all, it was only a few minutes. I just can't believe it."

On discovering the ticket, Wayne asked a security officer what action he should take.

He has since written a letter of complaint to the hospital in the hope that the fine will be lifted following the incident on Thursday, June 6.

Craig Smith, spokesman for ISS Mediclean which owns the hospital car park, said: "On this occasion we believe that there was a genuine misunderstanding and for that reason we are happy to quash the fine."